Papua conference postponed

PORT VILA – The West Papua conference that was expected to open in Vanuatu next week has been postponed.

The West Papua Reunification Committee’s chairman, Pastor Alan Nafuki, says the meeting will now take place from October 30.

Pastor Nafuki explained that they have sent invitations to 80 West Papuan representatives, but so far, they have received only about 20 confirmations because of fundraising and visa problems. “So we decided that it is best that we postpone the meeting to give chances to everyone to fundraise or to fix their visa up, or other problems that they’re facing, because at the end of the day, we want to get everybody to this meeting in Vanuatu.”

Pastor Alan Nafuki says the conference is to provide an avenue for the different groupings in West Papua to come to an agreement on a unified bid for membership in the Melanesian Spearhead Group.